Grass-catcher for lawn-mowers.



H. F. WESSEL, JR- GRASS GATGHER FOR LAWN MOWERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1910.

986,883. Patented Mar. 14,1911,

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w vhwoom H. F. WESSEL, JR. GRASS GATGHER FOR LAWN MOWERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1910.

986,883. Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

2 SHEBTSSHBET 2.

Swvantz To all whom may concern:

- for one of its objects with a lawn gnower ency to hold the receptacle in its proper poployed to designate,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. WESSEL, JR., 0]? HIGHLAND, ILLINQTS.

GBASS-GATCHER FOR LAWIN--MOW'IERS.v

Be it known that I, HENRY F. Wnss nn, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland, in the county of Madison and State of. Illinois, have invented new and useful Improve'ni nts in Grass-Catchers for Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements grass catchers for lawn mowers and has the provision of a .device of'that kind including a metallic receptacle provided-with a pair of opposltely positioned spring arms adapted to engage and by their own resilisition relative'to the mower.

Another-object is the provision of a sup; port to be detachably secured to the handle of the mower when the latter is in operation and further adapted to be so secured to the receptacle as to provide a handle for transporting the latter when ,filled with grass-and detached from the mower.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully hereinafter appear,

the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of illustrate 'in the accompanying drawings and more particularl pointed out in the appended claims; it eing understood that various changes in the form, proportion,

size, and minor details of the device maybe made, within the scope claims, without de sacrificing any 0 invention- In the accompanying drawings, forming part 'of the specification Figure 1 is "a of the appended arting from the spirit or 'perspective view of the device showing its application to the mower.

Fig. 2 1s a similar view after the device has been detached from the mower and filled with grass and ready to be carried to a place to receive the cut rass. Fig.3 is a bottom plan vievi of the device. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the cross bar. Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the side walls of the receptacle showing a portion of one of the clips broken away and the inner end of one of the spring arms. Fig. 6 is a section through a portion of the receptacle.

Similar numerals of reference are emewe e11 parts thmughg 5P 1m Specification of Letters Patent, Application filed May 13, 1810. Serial No.

arts, hereinafter fully described,

the advantages of the- 1118111114. The

end portions of the eertible mm Patented Mar. 14, 1911. 561,109.

The mower is designated by the numeral 5 and the handle thereof by the numeral 6. Since these parts are of well-known construction a detail need not be given.

The device forming part of the subject matter of the presentinvention comprises a receptacle preferably formed. of sheet metal, the bottom of which is designated by side walls by the numerals 8 and 9. The uppcrcdgcs of the side walls incline upwardly and at their widened ends are connected by an end wall That portion of the receptacle to which the end wall is attached will subsequently be termed the rear end wall, the opposite or open end of the receptacle will be termed the open end. It is tobe understood that the width of the receptacle will correspond to the width of-the cutting mechanism of the mower and may be of any desired length and depth.

For detachably the mower I employ a pair of spring arms designated by the numerals 11 and 12. These members are arrangcdon the opposite outer faces of the side walls and adjacent to their juncture with the bottom 7 are preferably formed of single pieces of stoutsteel wire or its equivalent. As shown in the drawings each of the arms is secured to the receptacleby means of a clip 13, preferably formed by bending upon itself, adjacent to itsmedial portion an oblong piece of sheet metal, and forming in one of the sides thus formed a substantially inverted V-shaped groove or channel designated by the nubent portion of the clip is secured to the side of the receptacle by means of rivets 1.5 or the like, said clip extending vertically, as shown in the drawings. The inner end portion of the spring arm terminates in a substantially inverted v shaped extension 16 which is passed be tween the sides of the clip and seated in the groove or channel 14, after which the longer side of the clip is bent over the lower face of the bottom 7 and secured thereto by rivets or the like,-as shown at 17. The free spring arms 11 and 12 extend in advance of the opening or front description of the same securing the receptacle to end of the receptacle and terminatein inwardly extending trunnions 18 and 19.

which extend beyond the opposed inner faces of the side Walters and 9 and are inopeniugs' formed inilihamowe 5. By virtue of the trunnions 18 and 19 it will be evident that the receptacle properly move with the latter over uneven ground. end of the bottom 7 and secured to the-lower surface thereof is a bar 20, the op 'osite ends of which are curved to provide long loops 21, which receive the free end portions of the arms 11 and '12, the axesof said loops extending in a horizontalplane. .By the provision of these loops outward movement-of the free end portions of the sides will'be limited and consequent accidental displacement. of the receptacle prevented.

The rear end wall of the receptacle is connected with the handle by means of a support, which inthe present instance is shown to include a pair of sections desig nated by the numerals 22 and 23, the section 22 having one end rovided with an eye which receives a simi ar eye on one end of the section 23L The opposite end of the section 22' is curved into an eye and passed through an opening formed in the medial portion and adjaccnt't-o the upper edge of the end wall' 101 The free end of the section 23' is provided with a rectangular shaped hook 24, adapted to engage with the handle 6 of the mower. Owing to theshape of the book 24. it will be manifest that the said hook may be readily attached to and detached from the handle whenever desired.

By forming the'support in jointed sections it will be manifest when the receptacle passes over hilly ground upward movement of the receptacle will be permitted.

By 'reference now to the drawings it will be' seen that a cross bar 25 has its opposite end portions fixedly secured to the medial portions of the side' walls 8 and- 9 and ad; cent to the upper ed e thereof. The me portion of the cross in 25 is curved to pro vide a socket 26, and; the distance between the cross bar and end wall 10 will be some what less than the length of the support 'just described, so that after the receptacle is filled with-cut grass and the hook 24 de.

will be.

pivotally connected with the mower so as to Extcnding transverse the forward,

tached from the handle 6 the said hook may move into engagement with the socket 26 of the cross bar, provided for carrying the receptacle to the place where it is desired to deposit the cut ass. F rom the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a device which is comparatively simple in structure and inexpensive in manufacture, embodying few parts and these so arranged that 'the danger of derangement will be reduced to a minimum.

I claim 2- 1. In a grass catcher. for the combination of a receptacle, a cross bar carried thereby, and a support including a pair of resilient sections pivotally connected together, one end of one of said sections being loosely connected with one end of the receptacle and the free end of the other of said sections terminating in a hook ada ted to embrace either the cross bar or hand e of the mower. I

2. An attachment for grass catching receptacles for lawn mowers comprising a-clip formed of an oblong metallic sheet bent transversely adjacent its medial portion to provide sides of unequal length, .thesaid sides being fixedly secured together and further secured to the outer side of the receptacle, the shorter side being next to the receptacle the longer of the said sides of the clip having a portion bent inwardly and secured to the and arranged in the'channel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. WESSEL, JR.

Witnesses:

EDGAR MEnwIN, Fin-1n Screen-nu.

lawn mowers ottom of the receptacle one of the sides of said clip being provided on whereby the handle will be sion insertible between the sides of the clip I 

